Delaware Children and Families Affected by Domestic Violence Received More Than $5,400 in Toys and Books Through Verizon Holiday Campaign

WILMINGTON, Del., Dec. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Two nonprofit organizations in Delaware that servechildren and families affected by domestic violence have received $5,457 worth of toys and books, thanks to the generosity of Verizon employees and the public.

For Verizon's annual campaign, employees at three company locations in Delaware collected toys and books and made online donations. The YWCA Delaware in Wilmington and People's Place in Milford received the collected items.

"Verizon employees care about the communities in which they work and live, and this is a great example of that," said William R. Allan, president of Verizon Delaware. "We are glad to have had this opportunity to brighten the holiday season for families affected by domestic violence."

Nationally, Verizon partnered with the National Network to End Domestic Violence, which coordinated the distribution of the items to children and families in domestic violence shelters across the country.

The public participated in the campaign by making online donations to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. The organization will use the funds to help domestic violence shelters support programs that assist children and families in their local communities.

Sue Else, president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, said, "The holidays are a time of joy for so many, but it's also a time that can be very hurtful to survivors of domestic violence and their children. We are grateful that the Verizon Foundation and Verizon employees are working with us to bring hope to thousands of people during this holiday season."

Verizon has a long-standing commitment to raising awareness of domestic violence and aiding in its prevention. Since 2007, the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, has awarded $21 million in grants to nonprofits that support victims of domestic violence.

Through Verizon's HopeLine® program, more than 7 million phones have been collected and recycled or refurbished to support domestic violence survivors, generating $8 million that has been given to local agencies since 2001. For more information about HopeLine from Verizon, go to www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

The Verizon Foundation supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational website, Verizon Thinkfinity (www.thinkfinity.org), and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence. In 2009, the Verizon Foundation awarded $67.9 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in $26.1 million in combined contributions to nonprofits. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 5 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., is a leading voice for domestic violence victims and their allies. Its members include the 56 state and territorial coalitions against domestic violence. It works closely with them to understand the needs of domestic violence survivors and advocacy programs. NNEDV has been a premiere national organization advancing the movement against domestic violence for the past 15 years, after leading efforts among domestic violence advocates and survivors in urging Congress to pass the landmark Violence Against Women Act of 1994. To learn more, please visit www.nnedv.org.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE,Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 93 million customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 195,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon

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Delaware Children and Families Affected by Domestic Violence Received More Than $5,400 in Toys and Books Through Verizon Holiday Campaign